Words of the Lost
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: Two-shot. There were only four B and B's: Octopus, Raven, Wolf, and Mantis. At least...those were the only four that had been sighted. But just because one couldn't see something, didn't mean it wasn't there. Raiden knew that well from dealing with Vamp...and that lesson would make itself known with his newest enemy. Raiden Vs. OC. Set during MGS4.
1. The Missing Beast

**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR**

**Hello there :)! I've been wanting to do a Metal Gear story with my own B and B for a long time now. Sooo, this is an action fic with Raiden vs. an OC of mine known as Babbling Lynx. It is set during Snake's South America mission. It's going to be a two-shot story. Please keep in mind that Lynx is a B and B and will thus have the same fate as the others (in other words, don't get attached to her XDDD). Oh, and the cover is a pic I drew of Lynx. Anyway, please enjoy :D!**

**X**

Five years ago, Raiden would have been shocked by the sight. During the Big Shell incident...his fervent heart would have been aghast at the scene before his eyes. Now, however, it did not faze him. This type of thing happened all over the world, every moment of every day. This was normal...this...was war.

War was a part of him. No longer could he remove himself from the field at the end of the day. The Patriots had made sure of that. Now...he was part machine...more battle weapon than man. From his lower jaw down, Raiden's organic body had been removed...replaced. Instead of warm, sensitive flesh...he now had a metal jaw that partially revealed his lower teeth. The rest of his body was a pale grey apparatus, each piece hooked together with the tenacity and brilliance of Dr. Madnar. It was designed so that Raiden could use each limb to his greatest advantage. There were various places were he could attach knives and use them to desecrate his foes. Mechanized super strength was also a plus, enabling him to lift many tons.

In short...Raiden was the perfect war mechanism. But...he wouldn't let himself get used. He hated the thought of being a slave to the will of another...of being used to carry out some purpose that did not burn passionately within the skeleton of his former heart. That task...finding something to believe in...was even harder than it had once been. For now...he didn't believe in much of anything. He was a virtually emotionless soldier...one who could carry out an act without blinking. That was why he was so easily used...and why the carnage he was viewing did not rattle him.

Pushing through the heavy growth of foliage, the cyborg scanned over ruins. He brushed aside his ice blonde bangs, eyes narrowing. It was, or once was, Cove Valley Village. Nestled among the wild rainforests of South America, it consisted of rather primitive yet cozy buildings. With its position among the towering hills and lush trees, the area was made to look darker than other parts of the wilderness. The sun was blocked by plant life, making the dew-drenched air feel noticeably cool.

At one time, the town was probably cheery and well-used. Today...it was a ghost of its former self.

The PMCs had destroyed everything. They had set fires to one of the larger houses, torching it from the entryway to the upper floor. It was still standing...but the sections of its walls that were not crumbling away were black with soot. It looked rather like a gruesome skeleton compared to the other structures.

The other buildings, barns and warehouses of some sort, were relatively untouched. They had clearly been ransacked, but no fire had been set to them. Apparently, the militia hadn't seen the need to burn those. Either that...or they had been deliberately cruel in their choice. A business dwelling could be rebuilt with some simplicity. A home on the other hand...was different. It was filled with memories. Each dent and scar marring the walls brought back moments of one's life...both good and bad. By burning the home...the enemy had not destroyed not only a house...but a haven.

Raiden's metallic jaw clenched. He slowly trod the damp, dark earth, glaring warily. He doubted the PMCs would have gone through the trouble of such a heartless act. Their comrade team, however...the B and B's...were a different matter.

The B and B or Beauty and the Beast corps, was an organization spoken of infamously among the rebel groups. They were the SNAKEHOUND unit...even more dangerous than gun-bearing, nanomachine-enhanced soldiers. Each one was female...rumored to be strikingly beautiful beneath the hideous suits they wore. They had also each been horribly traumatized by war. There were many stories regarding each B and B's origin...and how they had lost their sanity.

As fascinating as the female assassins were...they were also feared. No sanity, no reason, no remorse penetrated their broken minds. Sometimes...they killed just for the sake of it. That was why they were most likely responsible for the burning at Cove Valley...only they would be so unreasonably cruel.

Only four B and B's had been recorded so far. They were Laughing Octopus, Raging Raving, Crying Wolf, and Screaming Mantis. Each was outfitted with a unique mech suit...one without which they could not survive. The suits also gave them unique and terrifying powers. It was rumored that a single one could destroy an entire team of rebels with ease. By the looks of the village...those rumors were true.

Raiden surveyed the vast expanse of land leading to the mountain trail. It was littered with bodies...the corpses of PMCs as well as rebels. Slowly treading through the area, he frowned. He had seen the work of Laughing Octopus, the B and B rumored to be posted in South America, before. In fact, a few of her victims lay near a rundown truck parked next to one of the buildings. They had either been slammed ruthlessly into the ground or impaled by her deadly tentacles. These corpses...were different.

Vicious slash marks marred each one. They had been caused by claws...wicked, razor sharp claws. If Raiden didn't know better, he would have thought they had been killed by some wild animal. He knew better. He also noticed...that there were more dead PMCs than there were rebels. Furthermore...most of the rebels had lost their lives to bullet wounds rather than the terrible talon injuries.

The wounds weren't caused by an animal...and they had mostly targeted the PMCs...so who on earth could it be? The B and B's had been known to occasionally snap and kill whoever was close to them, but that was an infrequent occurrence. This was deliberate...malicious...maybe even planned.

Something beeped in the pocket of Raiden's long, black trench coat. Not taking his silvery blue eyes off the scene before him, he reached a mechanical hand into the clothing. He pulled out a handheld GPS. On its screen was a vast map of the South American terrain. A single white dot moved at a slow pace through the mountain path. That dot...was Solid Snake. His former Big Shell partner had been tracking him, trying to catch up with him. Snake was a good distance ahead...but he still had time. He could stop to investigate whatever had caused this Cove Valley massacre. If he didn't...then Snake might bear the consequences.

Grunting, the cyborg stowed away the GPS. He would meet Snake soon enough. Right now...he had to focus on this ominous mystery.

Raiden started toward the burned building. His insipid eyes flicked from structure to structure, searching for any signs of danger.

_"It's quiet..."_ he thought. _"...too quiet."_

There was no visible evidence of a threat...yet proof seemed to scream all around him. The seemingly dead town was somehow alive...filled with hidden eyes, watching him.

A chill touched his pallid facial skin. Something was definitely here...hidden...waiting to strike. Nature was never this still. He had learned that much from his tracking lessons under the Alaskan tribal elder. It was afraid...afraid of someone...or something.

With a single internal command, Raiden's nanomachines activated the visor that was attached to his head. Its eye pieces moved into place and he activated their infrared mode. Instantly, the world before him was transformed into a luminescent green. Objects that had previously been too dark to discern grew almost blindingly bright. While this feature was certainly useful...he didn't dare use it for long. The soft but still audible humming noise it made would give his position away if he kept the device active for too long.

Raiden's eyes ran over each dilapidated structure. At first, he saw nothing. Everything was motionless...almost dead-looking. Then...his gaze landed on a building several yards to his left. It was a squat thing with a sturdier door than all the others. Crooked iron bars took residence at each window, making it look almost like a store house that merchants were paranoid about being robbed...or a prison. It could have easily been either or both.

Staring at those barred windows...the cyborg could swear he saw a flicker of movement. He froze. A flicker...was far enough proof. He was well aware of that due to his dealings with Vamp.

Glaring, Raiden stepped slowly toward the building. Its interior was dark...but his night vision allowed him to make out some shapes. He braced a metal hand on the door and gave it a push. It moved quite easily, nearly falling off its hinges. This building had clearly been heavily raided. Either that...or some intense struggle had taken place within its walls.

Glancing around, the latter explanation seemed to Raiden more likely. It was apparently a storage house of some sort with multiple shelves that had been ransacked...or struck during a heated struggle. Covering the walls...were deep slash marks. They mirrored those seen on the corpses outside. Blood smeared some of the walls, intermingling with the scratches. That blood probably belonged to the body of the PMC lying in the center of the room. He still held his M4 in his hand...but it had been useless against whatever killed him.

Suddenly, a sound pierced the palpable silence...a slight shuffling. Raiden's hand instantly shot over his shoulder. He grasped the black handle of his katana, body tense as he waited for whatever was skulking in the shadows.

A cluster of shapes which Raiden had previously mistaken for wreckage...shifted on a shelf on the far wall. He frowned. Either they were disconnected...or whatever tied them together wasn't visible to infrared. The only military operatives he knew of who possessed that type of technology...were the B and B's. But...how was that possible? There were only four B and B's, each posted in a different place. Laughing Octopus was the boss of this area...so who else could be here?

Raiden's clawed fingers tightened around the hilt of his blade. "Who's there?" he growled.

The thing turned. When it was facing him...two, diamond-shaped eye lenses glowed a wicked grayish green in the darkness. The way the thing was positioned now made it a bit more discernable. The parts of it which displayed on infrared were its slender torso, legs, arms, and a bit of its neck. The thing...or rather person...was humanoid. Yet...it was staring at him with eyes that were far less than human.

Motionless ensued for what felt like an eternity. Then...in the blink of an eye...the creature lunged forward. Raiden spun to the side, drawing his katana in the process. He slashed to the side with it, a move he often used to take out the legs of Gekko. The creature leapt over the blade with a nimbleness that no ordinary human possessed. It dashed out the door in a flash of black, grey, and deep green. Fleeing through the sea of its victims, it ducked into the burned house.

Raiden cursed. He pumped his cybernetic legs, racing toward the structure. He couldn't let it get away. If his enemy was a Beauty and the Beast...then she would be after Snake. Snake still had yet to be briefed about the bounty on his head. He would be totally unprepared for them. Snake had protected him when he was uninformed...

"This time, it's my turn," Raiden murmured as he stepped through the singed doorway.

The inside of the house looked even more sinister than the outside. The already dark wood was completely black in some places. Splintered furniture was scattered in a corner. A staircase led up to the second floor, most of which had been burned away. The cyborg scanned the room carefully. The wood walls, floors, and furniture glowed on the visor's night vision mode...but he still saw nothing.

Just because Raiden saw nothing, however…did not mean that he heard nothing. In fact…he heard someone talking…softly…but coherently.

"First I'm going to set some bait inside a nasty trap and wait…when he comes a-sniffing I will snap the trap and close the gate…"

He glowered up at the broken ceiling. It was a woman's voice distorted by something, perhaps a mask of some sort. But why was she talking like that? Raiden stepped slowly across the wooden floor, careful not to tread on any creaky boards. He kept his eyes locked on the ceiling. He could still hear her talking.

"Yesssssss…." She purred from her hiding place. "…the dark's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king…"

Raiden halted, frowning. He was not a literature expert…but he did recognize that quote. It was from William Shakespeare's _Hamlet_. She had changed the work "play" to "dark" to fit their current situation…but it was the same quote. He wondered if what she said before had been a quote too. If so…

_"Why is she babbling?"_ the warrior thought. _"Is she trying to distract me? Or…is it something else? Something…less sane?" _

Either way, he had to act.

Raiden listened intently. If he could find where she was standing on the upper floor then he could drive his katana through the boards for a surprise strike. He should be able to figure it out. After all, she was talking to herself.

Following the sound of her contorted voice, Raiden crept deeper into the shadowed building. He kept his gaze locked on the ceiling. Squinting, he strove to see through the uneven cracks of the upstairs floor boards. Most of the gaps revealed nothing but darkness above. However…when he reached the edge of a gaping hole in the wood…he saw something else. Rather than blackness…he could see something that showed up in a light shade of grey on infrared. It had to be her.

"Got you…" the cyborg whispered, allowing a small smile to play on his upper lip. He drew back his sword…ready to drive it through the wood…when he was attacked instead.

A pair of four long blades pierced through the ceiling, heading directly for Raiden's ice blonde head. They glinted wickedly…and were deadly sharp. Grunting, Raiden dodged to the side. He found himself underneath the sizeable hole in the ceiling. Before he could regain his bearings, another set of knives slashed through the air next to his head. They missed his face but grazed the opaque material composing his shoulder blade.

Raiden cursed. He retreated to the left, narrowly evading yet another blade strike through the ceiling. Splinters of wood rained down, catching in his hair. He shook them off and slid behind a soot-covered dresser. Through the brand new gashes in the ceiling, he could hear his enemy laughing, a hideous sound with its multi-toned voice.

"Subtlety set a trap and caught itself…" she giggled, continuing on yet another lengthy ramble.

The cyborg shut off his night vision. Whatever he was dealing with clearly had enhanced senses. He didn't need her using the humming sound of infrared to track him. With a mechanical hiss, the visor slid away, exposing his blue-grey eyes to the cool air. He leaned his head back against the charred furniture and tried to adjust them to the darkness.

He hadn't had much success when his handheld GPS gave an alerting chirrup. Wincing, Raiden fumbled in his pocket for it. He hoped the female attacker hadn't heard the sound. She was still mumbling random sayings on the upper floor…but who knew how advanced her hearing was. Raiden stared at the GPS screen. Snake's white dot was getting close to the power station…and he had no idea of the danger awaiting him.

Before he could fully process the information, something dropped down from the second floor. He couldn't make out her features in the shadows…but he could see the familiar blades at the tips of his foe's fingers. She stood still only three or so yards away, apparently looking for him.

"Crap…" Raiden hissed. He cast a glance at the creature, then at his GPS. There was no choice. He had to warn Snake somehow.

Not waiting to think of a plan, the soldier activated his nanocommunication system. It whistled as it sent a ping to Snake's Codec. Then…a slight click was heard…and Raiden knew that his old friend had answered.

In typical Snake-style, he said nothing, waiting for the one who had contacted him to explain. Even though Raiden was used to that…he said nothing. His eyes stayed frozen on the woman. He breathed into the connection, not wanting his friend to think that he had hung up.

After a few moments, Snake's gravelly voice spoke. "Who is this?" he demanded, sounding wary.

Raiden almost smiled. Almost no warm emotion pierced his icy cold core anymore…however he had to admit that it was agreeable to hear from a companion.

The creature skulked toward the door, away from her quarry. Raiden seized that opportunity to speak. "Snake…"

"…That voice…" the soldier did not gasp, but his tone rose in surprise.

Raiden watched his opponent. She was still moving, about to step into the pale light of the doorway. Then, he would be able to see her…and she would see him. The cyborg slipped around to the concealing side of the dresser. He whispered into his Codec.

"…There's an ambush ahead. Government and PMC troops. You could be shot from anywhere." He braced his hand on the furniture, glancing down at his map. "Watch your surroundings. Look to the distance."

Snake was silent for a moment. His next question was little more than a murmur. "Is this…Jack?"

Raiden's insides clenched. No…he wasn't really. He might still have remnants of Jack's body, Jack's memories, and Jack's mind…but he was a different person now. Gone was the sweltering passion of youth and the stubborn belief that he could have a normal life…a human life. No…he wasn't Jack. The Patriots had taken away what little of Jack remained after the Big Shell incident.

"Jack is dead…" Raiden murmured. It was at that moment…that his mystery foe stepped into the light.

He had been right before. The woman did have a humanoid figure. In spite of that…she was less than human.

Her waist and arms were slender, clothed in a grey jumpsuit material. They had been left unguarded so that she could be more flexibly. Her upper torso was a different story. It was protected by dark green, vest-like armor. The same armor material created for her something that looked like the metal skirts worn by robotic female warriors in science fiction films. She also wore heavy mech boots which were composed of three plates. The plates went from dark green, to gunmetal grey, to black.

The assassin's arms, while unobstructed by armor, had thick black tubing running along them. It seemed to be connected to a medium-sized tank of something attached to her back. Ebony bands kept the tubes from sliding around when she moved. The cylindrical devices stopped at her hands, forming into a delta-like shape. From that structure…protruded the wicked blades. They ran along each of her fingers, looking every bit like a beast's claws.

The most striking thing about the being, however…was the dark green and deep black mask concealing her face. It was hard and angular with triangular structures stretching out from either side of the skull. A jagged mouth with sharp teeth had been cut into the front. It formed into a horrid grin, probably to unnerve and distract opponents. Above that mouth was a dusky upside-down triangle which looked somewhat like a nose. Slender tubes extended from those too. They curved around the back of the helmet and stretched down to connect to the tank. There was something inside that device…perhaps something lethal. All in all…she had the overall appearance of a cat…a lynx perhaps since she had no tail.

Raiden glared determinedly. He was almost certain that his suspicions had been right. This thing…this creature who was obviously not in her right mind…was a fifth B and B. She had never been identified…but she seemed just as dangerous, if not more so than the others. He had to stop her. His friend was not ready to face a B and B yet.

"Snake…" Raiden at last mumbled into the Codec. "…I'm at your side."

"Wait!" Snake called out but it was too late. The cyborg had already ended the Codec call.

**X**

**End of chapter one :). I hoped you liked and please review! Please no flames. I am working on the next chapter and hope to have it up soon. It will contain an explanation about Babbling Lynx's past. Below is an explanation of each quote I used:**

"**First I'm going to set some bait…" Danny Elfman's "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" from Tim Burton's _Nightmare before Chrismtas_. **

"**The play's the thing…" William Shakespeare's "Hamlet".**

"**Subtlety set a trap and caught itself" Latin proverb. **

**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR, TIM BURTON'S NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, DANNY ELFMAN'S KIDNAP THE SANDY CLAWS, SHAKESPEARE'S HAMLET, OR THE LATIN PROVERB**


	2. Words of the Legendary

**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR OR ANY COPYRIGHTED QUOTES IN THIS FIC**

**Thanks to Sailorblaze for reviewing and for anyone who favorited or subscribed :D! Sorry for the wait, I've been super busy. This is the last chapter of this fic where Lynx's past will be revealed. I know that the B and B's are supposed to have super dark stories so I made hers as dark as I could stomach…hopefully it turned out okay. Anyways, please enjoy!**

**X**

"There is no hunting like the hunting of man…" Lynx purred as she stalked about the dark room. "Those who have hunted armed men long enough and liked it…never care for anything else thereafter."

Raiden kept his back to the armoire. His eyes stayed locked on his hunter. If he hadn't known she was a B and B…then he would think she was trying to psych him out like the Gekkos did with the unnerving cicada noise they made while prowling. However, he knew better. She might be a skilled assassin…but there was no sanity in her quirks. Just as Laughing Octopus cackled at everything…Raging Raven was perpetually furious…Crying Wolf wept constantly…and Screaming Mantis shrieked day in and day out….Lynx was always babbling.

Reaching a hand over his shoulder, Raiden clasped his katana's hilt. There was only one solid thing in the Beasts' broken worlds. That thing…was appropriately called "Solid Snake". According to rebel intel, they had been convinced that their minds would heal if they killed Snake. Their target…was thus far uninformed of this bounty. That was why Raiden had to finish this right here. He had to protect his friend from the threat he didn't even know existed…just as Snake had done for him on the Big Shell.

The cyborg unsheathed his blade. It glinted, looking every bit as deadly as it actually was. Careful not to make a shuffling noise, he crouched and crept along the floor to the edge of his hiding place. He risked a quick glance toward his enemy. Lynx was peering up the staircase. Her dusky eye lenses almost seemed to glow with anticipation. She was close enough to notice if he moved…but too far away to attack.

Raiden cursed mentally. He squeezed his silver-azure eyes closed, racking his brain for a strategy. It was a rather difficult task with the crazy female constantly jabbering.

"Cloak and Dagger…Cat and Mouse…" she said in a sing-song voice. "Too bad for you, I'm the cat…"

His eyes snapped open. That was it. If he couldn't reach her…then she had to come to him. He had just the tool to make her do that.

A smirk curled Raiden's upper lip. He placed his katana on the floor…and grasped the edge of his trench coat. "Too bad for you…I'm not a mouse…but a dagger…and here's the cloak!"

He threw his coat out from his hiding place. It fluttered and writhed in the air like a living shadow. Glimpsing the rippling fabric, Lyynx lunged. She landed on her feet, slashing with those lethal claws. Raiden watched her with the adeptness of a ninja. He saw her talons slice the air, as if in slow motion. There…when she attacked, she was vulnerable. It was his turn to counterattack.

With a battle grunt, the warrior leapt forward and swept his katana to the side. It struck something. He wasn't sure what because his coat was still falling, shrouding most of the Beast from view. Lynx gave an enraged snarl. She scratched at him and Raiden lurched backward to avoid it.

His cloak hit the ground…and his eyes snapped upward to see Lynx dashing up the staircase. Raiden swore, taking off after her. He couldn't let her escape. Snake depended on his success. As he climbed…he noticed some liquid trailing up the steps. It had a consistent position, which meant that it had come from one location. Raiden stopped for just a moment. It wasn't blood…so what could it be?

He didn't have time to contemplate it. A shuffling sound coming from the second floor was making his gut sink. Reaching the top step, Raiden's clawed fingers grasped the doorframe. Bits of it crumbled away at his touch. This was clearly one of the most fragile areas of the building. The room itself was skeletal to say the least. There were sizeable holes in the floor, caused by both the fire and Lynx's previous onslaught.

The reason Raiden was able to see all of this was because of a still-intact window at the side wall. Crouched on the window sill…was his enemy, her hideously grinning helmet turned in his direction.

"The Beauty and the Beast climbed up the water spout…" she sang in a tone that reflected her true lunacy. "…down came the ripper and washed the Beauty out!"

Raiden's eyes widened. "No!" he reached out a hand…but it was too late.

Laughing, Lynx pounced catlike out of the building. Raiden growled and rushed to the window. There were more droplets of water along the sill. Peering out, he saw Lynx clinging to the crumbling side of the next structure. Dangling from her back was one of the black tubes. That was apparently what his blade had severed. Droplets fell from it to the dusty ground below. What they were, he had no idea.

Lynx's eye lenses flashed as she scanned her surroundings. She still had her claws dug into the building's side, apparently trying to determine the best possible route. Eventually, she let herself drop. Land seemed to be her path of choice. Raiden could work with that. She was fast on her feet…but he could move faster.

Careful not to fall through any of the gaping craters in the floor, Raiden took a few steps backward. He then ran at full speed and took a flying leap out of the window. He landed hard on the next building. Bricks crumbled away beneath his cybernetic body. He lunged toward the next set of warehouses, all of which possessed metal roofs. They would at least stay under his feet.

Bounding over the structures, the cyborg cast his eyes down at his foe. She was running along the ground. He was managing to keep pace with her…but he needed to get ahead of her, just by two yards or so.

The last cobblestone of his warehouse pathway came into view. Raiden focused every last bit of his strength, both mechanical and mental, into his legs. He hit the final roof. Then…he rocketed himself out and upward. Somersaulting in the air, he focused his descent downward. He pointed his katana toward the ground and spun in a rapid corkscrew motion. Raiden's limbs felt electrified, his eyes ablaze. This type of death-defying situation was a part of him. He could not remove that wild, untamed fire of battle that coursed through his artificial, snow-colored blood.

The katana was driven deep into the pliable earth by its wielder's force. He was now only six feet away from his enemy. She skidded to a halt, looking as stunned as she could behind that grisly face-covering. Raiden spent no time on idle amusement at the moment. He vaulted around on the hilt of his blade and drove his foot into Lynx's chest armor. She flew backward. Her contorted voice grunted as she hit the ground with force, rolling into a patch of grass. She lay there…very still.

Raiden landed on the earth. Electricity crackled across his artificial adrenaline-filled form as he wrenched the katana out of the dirt. Holding his weapon behind him, the cyborg cautiously stepped forward. The Beast's dark green, grey, and black armor blended well with the grass. He couldn't tell if she was unconscious…or waiting for him.

Stopping about a yard from her, Raiden narrowed his eyes. Lynx was as motionless as the dead. She lay with her face in the firmament. He couldn't tell if her back was rising and falling with breath. He was sure she wasn't dead…but she might be out cold.

"_Just because something looks out of commission doesn't mean it actually is…"_ the warrior thought.

He reflected back on the two times he had put a bullet through Vamp's skull. Despite his efforts…the self-proclaimed vampire had come back to kill many more people. No…he knew better than to underestimate those who were supposed to be comatose.

Raiden's metal jaw clenched. His various mechanical muscles made slight hissing sounds as they shifted into a position that would let them move at a moment's notice. He took one last step forward. It was at that moment…that Lynx came to life.

With a piercing feline screech, the assassin dove like a lion capturing a helpless gazelle. Fortunately, unlike a predator's prey, Raiden was prepared. He spun one hundred eighty degrees so that he was directly behind her. He then grabbed the section of tubing he had previously severed. It had stopped pumping whatever fluid was inside that tank…but it was still firmly attached to Lynx's armor. He gave it a mighty yank. In a whiplash-inducing action, Lynx was pulled backward and slammed into a short, manmade fence several feet away from the patch of grass in which she had previously landed.

The catlike villain propped her upper arms on the top post of the fence. A low growl reverberated from her mask as she regained her balance. Raiden's katana sparked with electricity. He allowed himself a small smirk.

"Bad move, Beast…" he said. "…that little stunt just landed you even farther away from your destination.

An angry grunt hissed out of assassin's jagged helmet. She raised her head slowly. Her eye lenses glinted dangerously and her claws bore into the fence.

"Out of my way, ripper! I've got places to go…people to kill…games to play…things to destroy…"

She rambled onward…but Raiden wasn't listening. His mind was stuck on "ripper". She had called him that once before…but it was only now that it sunk in. How did she know that he was called Jack the Ripper? He hadn't used that nickname since he was completely human. Now…people scarcely recognized him. So how…had she?

The cyborg's grip tightened on his sword. He would contemplate that later. "I know your mission…" he growled. "…you think that by killing Snake…your mind will be healed." He tilted his head downward, fixing her with a dark gaze. "Well…I can't let that happen. I'm here to protect Snake…so if you want to take him out, you'll have to get past me."

"Snaaaaaaake…" Lynx drawled out the word. She pushed herself off the fence and fell to her knees. Her head tilted to the side in a thoughtful, eerie manner. She moved slowly on all fours, looking even more like a cat than usual. She also looked even crazier…as if her opponent's words had awakened some buried recollection.

Raiden watched her warily. He took a step back as she continued to advance. Head bowed low, Lynx spoke in a low whisper.

" 'Eliminate on sight…your minds will be cleansed…'" she growled, more to herself than to him. "That's what they told us…but I didn't want to."

Her armored shoulders shook with a hideous laugh. Raiden frowned.

"You didn't want to kill Snake? Even if it meant getting your sanity back?" That certainly didn't sound like the B and B way of thinking. They were too insane to feel any remorse of any kind.

Lynx sat back on her knees. She turned her face toward sky. "I didn't want to…I didn't want to…." She giggled and Raiden though he saw a flash of human teeth beneath the grisly smile carved into her mask. "I didn't want to…I don't want my mind to be cleansed."

That made the cyborg freeze. He stared at her intensely. He was about to label her words as the nonsensical babbling of a nutcase…when she continued.

"Words…words are such wonderful things…" Lynx drawled in a blissful tone, her face still turned toward the heavens. "Don't you love the common words in usage all the time…words that pain a masterpiece…words that beat a rhyme…words that sing a melody…words that leap and run…worst that sway a multitude or stir the heart of one…"

A red flag went up in Raiden's mind. He turned slightly to the side in a battle-ready stance. He had clearly struck a chord with this woman…a perilous chord.

"Don't you love the deadly words…murder, slay and kill…words that fill the mind with poison...words that bend the will. Don't you love relieving words…forget, ignore, and slight…scorn, evade, neglect, avoid, disdain with all one's might. Words that take the killer's guilt…words that numb his soul…words that turn his fragile heart into a black, gaping hole."

Lynx dragged her claws over her helmet. They made a shrill scraping sound on the metal, like fingernails on a chalkboard. "I love those words…they make me forget…they make the memories go away…" she slowly turned her head to stare with deadly passion at the cyborg. "No one…will take those words away from me….no one!"

So that was it. This Beast didn't want to regain her sanity…because the guilt over whatever she had done was too great for her to handle. Raiden took a cautious step backward. In any case…he needed to be extra careful. Before, she had been crazy but relatively calm. Now…he had touched a very sensitive nerve.

As if to prove his statement, Lynx gave a chilling shriek. She stumbled toward him, slashing with those claws. The cyborg dodged. He could feel the air move where she had aimed for his face. That didn't make sense. Why was she trying to scratch his face? Was she so furious that she wanted to disfigure him? Or…could she see that the rest of his body was mechanical…and was there something more going on with those claws than met the eye?

Lynx took another slice at him. Raiden neatly side-stepped around her. It was then that the tube he had severed caught his eye again. Of course…the tubing system. They ran up and down her back…and down her arms. What if that tank she was carrying contained some sort of toxin she could release through her claws? It that was the case…then Raiden had a much more important reason to protect the vulnerable skin on his face besides preserving his youthful looks.

Hissing, the Beast leapt once more. Raiden moved out of the way at the last second, jumping forward. He then swung his katana around…and sliced through the last two tubes on her back. A steady stream of liquid poured from the gash, dripping to the earth.

The warrior studied it grimly. It had to be some sort of poison. But…if it wasn't meant for Solid Snake…

"Who are you trying to kill?" he demanded.

Lynx did not answer. She jumped forward, slicing downward with both claws. Raiden dodged, grabbed her wrists, and wrenched her around. He wound one arm around her torso and the other around her neck in a mechanical headlock. She scraped at his arms with her talons. Raiden was, for once, thankful that he was only partially human since his arm most likely would have been amputated by now.

Holding the woman still, Raiden pressed his mouth to the metal ear structure on her helmet. "Why did you kill all those men?" he hissed, tightening his grip on her throat. "Most of them were your comrades!"

At that…Lynx stopped moving. She tugged on his arm to take a ragged breath. Then…a gravelly laugh sounded. She twisted her head just enough to glimpse her captor.

"Those men are already gone…forgotten…lost amidst the sands of time…" she snickered. "…but I…will be remembered. I'll make sure they remember me…I won't let them forget me…just like they wouldn't let me forget...they'll always remember me! My words! Even after I'm long gone!"

He had clearly struck another chord. The cyborg wasn't sure who "they" were who had clearly tormented her…or who she was trying to forget. In any case, he wasn't about to let her go around killing every being in sight just to be remembered. He despised those who preyed on the weak for their own glory. He hadn't allowed Fatman to get away with such actions on the Big Shell…and he wasn't going to let this Beast slip by either.

Raiden let his grip loosen. Lynx took the chance to wrench away from him. She turned, crouching low in a catlike stance her claws spread out to either side. Raiden stared her down for a long moment. Then…he slowly lifted his katana…and slid it back into its sheath.

Lynx laughed wickedly, too incensed to see his action as anything other than surrender. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, Raiden slowly crouched. He grasped the hilt of a knife strapped to his ankle. He had learned before that attacking from a distance did not work with her. He was going to have to do this at close range.

Howling, the beast lunged for him. The warrior got to his feet right as her claws dug into the inorganic material composing his shoulders. The force of the attack knocked him onto his back. The Beast, was still on top of him. She had one set of claws snagged in his shoulder. She raised the other, ready to end her victim. She was clearly used to men who would be feeling the pain of her claws right now. Raiden…was not like them.

He stared dully into the nightmarish face looking down on him. This was it. No matter what mistreatment she had suffered in the past…he had to end this now. She was dangerous…she was bloodthirsty…and she had no desire to regain her fragile humanity.

Lynx brought her claws down to strike. Raiden…drove the dagger in his hand into her armor-lacking torso. A stunned gasp wrenched from her throat. Her clawed hand froze in the air…and her entire body went rigid. She gawked at him for several seconds, as if not believing what he had just done. Then…she slowly bent her head to stare at the weapon that had struck her.

Grunting, the cyborg gave the knife a shove, effectively pushing her off him. Lynx landed on her back several feet from him. Her hand grabbed at the knife, struggling to do so with her lengthy claws. Finally, she grasped its hilt and pulled it out. Tossing the weapon to the side, she clamped a hand over the wound. It didn't take a medical genius to realize the injury's fatal nature.

Eyes fixed on the Beast, Raiden took a few steps toward her. She scrambled backward away from him, hissing. Blood dripped onto the dusty earth. Somehow…it seemed minimal compared to all the innocent blood she had spilled to feed her own lunacy.

Raiden halted a yard from her. His silvery eyes held no emotion…but there was an inkling of something uncomfortable writhing within him. He wasn't sure why. The Beast had been like Vamp, killing for the sake of killing. Yet…something nagged at his brain.

Breathing raggedly, Lynx shakily lifted her head to stare at the one who had bested her. Surprisingly, she was not snarling or slashing at him. In fact…she seemed somewhat reserved. Utilizing her last ounce of strength, Lynx glanced at the bodies she had desecrated earlier.

"Their words will be lost…" she murmured in a voice that almost lacked the demonic undertone of her helmet. "…but mine will become legendary."

The Beast turned her gaze back to Raiden. She lifted her head slightly, as if acknowledging something. Then…her form went slack. Her blood spattered claws loosened…and her head dropped to the ground. The slight illumination in her grey lenses flickered for a moment before dying. Sprawled on her side upon the South American terrain…Lynx was completely motionless.

The cyborg did not take his eyes off her. He moved cautiously toward the dagger she had thrown. Every footstep seemed like a gunshot in the silent village. Crouching, he sheathed the blade. Then…his gaze locked on the Beast. Now that the opaque film shrouding her eyes was gone…he could make out closed, lashed eyelids through the lenses. Scanning downward, Raiden spied a strand of dark red hair that had slipped from her mask.

A deep frown ghosted across Raiden's face. It didn't seem right to spy such features on the Beast. Although, he supposed that was why the organization was referred to as "Beauty and the Beast".

Something moved in the soldier's peripheral vision. Senses flaring, he started to turn…when an object rolled out from behind Lynx's body. It was round and crimson.

"_An apple…?"_ his frown deepened. Before he could further contemplate it, an animalistic shriek caught his attention.

Raiden whirled, his hand flying to his katana. Electricity surged from his fingers to the blade. Every mechanical device on his body shifted into battle position, ready to face some lethal trap laid by the Beast or perhaps a new enemy. Instead…he was met by a grey, hairless monkey.

The creature blinked its black eyes at him. A simian grin slashed across its features. The cyborg stared with bewilderment. Normally, seeing a monkey in South America would not have been a strange occurrence…but this one was wearing some sort of metallic-colored diaper. It clearly belonged to someone.

As if proving the thought, a voice spoke up. "Looks like Old Snake taught you well."

Clinging to his weapon, Raiden whipped around. He was met by an unarmed stranger walking toward him. The man waved a white handkerchief, apparently a sign of peace. Raiden let himself relax a tiny bit. Grey eyes narrowed, he studied the man from head to toe.

He was an African American man who looked to be in his forties. Shaved tight to his head, his hair was a platinum blonde almost as white as Raiden's. Its pristine color was marred by a long scar on the left side of his skull. He wore a pinstriped chocolate suit and vest over beige camo pants as well as combat boots. Rings clung to every one of his fingers. In short, he looked like a man who could go from cutting a formal business deal to engaging in physical combat in the blink of an eye.

"Who are you?" the cyborg demanded.

The stranger's lips curled into a sly smile. He shoved the handkerchief into his coat pocket. Then, he opened his fist to reveal a quarter on his palm. Raiden hadn't seen it there before…but he exhibited no surprise. He didn't dare take the chance that this person was purposefully trying to distract him with his impressive slight of hand.

"The name's Drebin," he replied, shuffling the coin back and forth on his fingers. "I happen to be a…business partner of sorts with your old pal, Solid Snake."

His gaze flickered upward upon saying the name, a cunning smirk playing on his lips. Raiden stood upright. He released his katana, letting no emotion mar his features. He was, however, surprised. Not many people knew about his and Snake's history on the Big Shell. He doubted Snake would have told a so-called "business" acquaintance…so how did he know…?

As if reading the young man's thoughts, Drebin announced, "Not many people can run into a B and B let alone fight one and live to tell the tale. The few I'd put my money on however…are Snake and his…" he waved a hand toward Raiden. "…apprentice of sorts."

Raiden grunted noncommittally. He shifted, as if getting into a relaxed position…but he kept his eye on the man. He still didn't trust him.

"How did you find me?"

Drebin smiled and waved a hand behind him. An area in front of one of the grassy cliffs flashed and contorted. Moments later…the cyborg was staring at a massive armored vehicle parked there. Apparently it had some sort of camouflaging system.

"It was pure luck," Drebin explained. "I've been keeping up with Snake, ya see. Along the way I saw you fightin' the Beast. I doubt it's a coincidence you were taking the same path I was...following Snake."

His eyes glittered. Raiden ignored the second part of that statement and focused on the first. "Luck?"

Drebin shoved his hands into his pockets, laughing. With a cocky swagger in his step, he went to stand over the assassin's corpse. "Well, of course. I figured you'd want to know a bit about the thing…or person who just attacked you."

The soldier attempted to watch him…but his attention was distracted by movement at his feet. He glanced down…and saw the monkey looking up at him. It was clutching his black trench coat, holding it out to him with a proud grin. Raiden hesitated before taking it. He wasn't sure he trusted the bald pet any more than he did its owner.

"Funny how their human side comes out…"

Slipping into his coat, Raiden arched a brow at the man. At first, he thought he was referring to the monkey. Then…he saw Drebin gazing down at the Beast. Raiden looked back and forth between the two of them, saying nothing. After a few moments, Drebin continued.

"She was born in the States, but her family was from Russia. Her parents immigrated to the US, leaving the rest of her family at their home country. She worked for the government for awhile…and that's how the Patriots got a hold of her."

The cyborg gave him a sharp look. He could speak the word "Patriot" instead of being forced to use their codename, the La Li Lu Le Lo. His nanomachines had put no speech restrictions into place…which probably meant…

"No sir," Drebin completed his suspicions with a triumphant grin. "I ain't no puppet for the Patriots. I'm just a gun launderer who services whichever side needs me the most."

Raiden studied him gravely. A man who made his living through less than legal means and switched allegiances depending on who had the advantage…he wasn't sure he liked that anymore than the possibility of a La Li Lu Le spy. Even so…he was curious.

"What did the Patriots want with her?"

Drebin glanced back at Lynx, a nostalgic expression on his features. "Information is gold in this day and age. So often words are lost…buried. As you well know, the Patriots want the power to make sure certain information never sees the light of day. If they can filter information…then they are well on their way to gaining complete control."

Raiden's insides twisted uncomfortably. He did know this well…perhaps a little too well.

"Even with their ID systems and info suppressors, however, it still doesn't change the fact that the Patriots are only over one nation," for the first time, Drebin's expression darkened. "If they can't get other nations to join them…then they search out ways to eliminate the opposition. That was exactly why they needed this girl with experience in governmental work, ties to Russia…and a split allegiance."

Drebin's monkey screeched as it scampered to him, holding up a red can of soda. Around that time, the GPS in Raiden's pocket beeped. The gun launderer looked at it, then at the cyborg. Grinning, he took the soda from his pet and popped it open.

"Still tracking Snake, are we? Well, don't let me interrupt ya…" he poured a large gulp of soda into his mouth.

Raiden did not move. He kept his gaze locked on the man, letting him know that he wasn't about to let himself be vulnerable. Drebin gave him a mock hurt look.

"Ah, that's cold, man…and right as I was getting to the heart of the story…"

"Well?" the cyborg said, not masking his impatience. "Get on with it."

Drebin took a final sip of the soda. He belched and handed it down to his pet, who snatched the can eagerly. "Well, they made her this offer…one that was far too good for any ambitious person to pass up. They proposed a plan to move her and her folks back to Russia under the guise that they wanted to rejoin their family. Meanwhile…they'd get her a good job in the Russian government…and slowly but surely move her up the ranks. Meanwhile…she'd be their personal spy, reporting anything and everything she could. In return…they promised her extreme wealth and power once they got what they wanted. It was a pretty sweet gig for awhile. She worked under the radar to everyone, including her family. Unfortunately…she got caught." He shook his head pityingly.

"They kept her contained somewhere no one, not even the Patriots could find her. But…that wasn't the worst of it. While she was trapped in that dark, filthy cell, they did everything they could to break her will and make her spill about who had hired her. They played horrible, maddening noises on speakers right outside her cell, day in and day out. When that didn't work…they did something worse…a lot more horrible than any screeching or scraping racket."

Raiden swallowed hard, trying to force his own nightmarish memories back. This was all far too nostalgic.

Drebin closed his eyes at the gruesomeness of the tale. "They sent assassins to brutally murder her family…and they recorded every instant of it. Then…they brought in televisions, speakers, anything to convey that horrible incident…and they played it to her over and over again. Every second of the day she watched the massacre. There was no way to escape. The screens were everywhere and they had the sound turned up so loud that plugging her ears did no good. So…she clamped her hands over her head…and began to talk. She said every word, every quote, every little thing she could think of. She screamed the words until her throat was raw, desperate to block out the hideous sights and sounds around her. They say that one thing she noticed in the corner of the video…was a stray cat, hiding from the killers. It had survived, helpless, powerless to do anything except watch…just like her. By the time the Patriots found their agent…her mind had been torn to shreds. She never stopped talking…quoting…rhyming. She was forever traumatized by the horrors of war…so…they enlisted her in the B and B corps…and she became Babbling Lynx."

The soldier stared at the Beast now. A deep-rooted hatred for the patriots burned like acid within him. Just how many lives had they destroyed? How many people…had they turned into Beasts? He himself was one of their victims…once a man…now a tool of war. But…there was one major difference between himself and Lynx…one that nagged at him.

"She said…that she didn't want her mind to be healed," Raiden raised his brows toward Drebin.

The gun launderer grunted, shaking his head. "I'd imagine not. From the beginning, she was a black sheep of sorts within the SNAKEHOUND unit. She did what she wanted to do…rather like a cat. And…unlike the other B and B's…she brought her fate upon herself. It was because of her greed that her family paid the ultimate price. Rather than a victim…she was more or less the culprit. She couldn't bring herself to face that."

"Hmmm…." Raiden stared hard at the human face behind the monster's mask. "…what did she want then?"

At that inquiry, Drebin smiled. He folded his arms over his chest, saying, "While she was trapped in that hellish prison, she was lost to the world. No matter how loud she screamed…no one could hear her words. Even after she escaped, people were determined to make her disappear when it was discovered that she wasn't cut out for the Patriot's plan. Lynx was determined to make a mark on history…one that couldn't be erased. That way…she could never be lost."

Raiden raised his chin with the realization. Of course…it was just like the case with Solidus. She had no legacy…and the Patriots were set on making her vanish. Therefore…she was going to make sure humanity remembered her.

"_Their words will be forgotten…"_ she had said. _"…but mine will become legendary."_ She was right. Few would care about the group of PMCs that had lost their lives…but everyone would remember the monstrosity that had killed them.

"She knew that I was called 'Jack the Ripper…'" the cyborg murmured, more to himself than to anyone else.

Drebin nodded. "And that spoke volumes to Lynx. You disappeared for quite some time, Jack. You were lost to everyone…but they still remembered those words." He smirked. "Why do you think she looked so peaceful when you defeated her? It's because she knows your words were never lost…and since you're the one who bested her, she too will be remembered."

Raiden cast one last glance down at Lynx. Something that had been tense within him gradually relaxed. In spite of the usual coldness he displayed toward those who preyed on the weak…something had been pricking his conscious about her. Maybe it was due to the fact that she had once been human and had been made into a Beast. Either way…it somewhat relieved him to know that he had brought her peace.

Drebin laced his fingers together, stretching his arms over his head. "All right then," he grinned. "I'd better get movin'. Gotta catch up with Snake before he runs into a certain lunatic known as Laughing Octopus." He started walking backward toward his massive vehicle, his monkey scampering alongside him. "Any friend of Snake's a friend of mine…so feel free to give me a ring if ya need any more info."

He climbed onto the hood of his RV…but paused before climbing in. Drebin glanced over his shoulder at Raiden. He then made an odd motion with his hand. He pointed to his eyes, clenched his fingers into a fist…and finally pointed at the cyborg.

"Eye…Have…You…" he winked, apparently reciting some sort of motto. Then…he dropped into the vehicle…and was gone.

Raiden absently watched him drive up the dusty mountain trail. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the GPS. Snake's dot was moving at a slow pace toward the power station. Drebin should be able to catch him before he crept too far into B and B territory.

The warrior stowed away his device and looked up at bright sky. He closed his silvery blue eyes. A cool breeze touched his pale face and danced through his ice blonde hair. For a long time…part of him thought that he could just drop off the face of the earth, never to be heard from again. After meeting Lynx, however…that no longer seemed a possibility.

He was too deeply rooted in the hearts of those he knew. They still talked about him…still shared stories…still shared words regarding White Devil…Raiden…Jack. Even if he was lost…the words relating to him would not be.

Raiden was done hiding. He had to find Snake and make up for all the time he'd spent being lost.

**X**

**The End :D! I hope you liked and please, please review! Happy Holidays! Here's a list of the quotes:**

"**There is no hunting…" Earnest Hemingway**

"**Don't you love the common words…" Elizabeth Scott Sam (the verse about "don't you love the deadly words" was written by me)**

**I DO NOT OWN METAL GEAR OR ANY OF THE COPYRIGHTED QUOTES IN THIS FIC**


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